"But it was very good match. I gave my all today. Of course, I knew I could win. I was really close to it ... There is just very little I can tell myself I did wrong.

"She was playing really good today. Maybe one, two points would go my way, it would be different."

In her first final of 2017, she took the initiative at 5-4 in the opening set and began to swing freely, bringing up three set points on the Aussie’s serve, before taking it when Gavrilova’s forehand clipped the net.

An almighty struggle for Cibulkova on serve finally went the way of her opponent and a love hold from Gavrilova pushed her to 4-2.

"I told myself when it was, like, third-time deuce, I said that it might be the turning point, to fight for every point," Gavrilova said of the battle to break Cibulkova at 2-2.

And it proved to be just that. The 23-year-old broke again to level the match on her third set point with a brilliant drop-volley on the stretch and a forehand into the corner back-to-back.

Cibulkova had not resurrected her season only to fade in a deciding set of a final. Her grit again shone when she broke for 4-3 in the third but the advantage was short-lived.

Gavrilova raised her aggression to reel off the last three games in a high-quality decider, whipping one last forehand winner down the line and leaping into the air in jubilation.